That has left Gwinn concerned about the center’s ability to serve victims of domestic violence. But he said he no longer trusts Goldsmith or Luna and their scrutiny of Gwinn’s organization, the National Family Justice Center Alliance.

“We believe we’ve lost donations,” Gwinn said. “It has been difficult for us to apply for grants with this cloud hanging over us that the city attorney created.”

Withdrawing from the agreement means Gwinn’s charity will no longer work within San Diego’s center, although he said he would continue to assist victims where he can.

Gwinn collected hundreds of thousands of dollars on behalf of the city’s program over the years, including at least one $10,000 donation that came in after the most recent contract expired.

In November, Goldsmith released a 10-page review of the arrangement between Gwinn’s alliance and the San Diego program.

The city attorney recommended that Luna audit the program, paying special attention to how donations to the city were accounted for and spent by the alliance.

Goldsmith said his suggestion had nothing to do with questioning the work of the National Family Justice Center Alliance. He said it is about following rules and making sure city assets are properly expended.

“You don’t just go and sign contracts,” Goldsmith said. “That’s how we’ve gotten into so much trouble. The city is intent on professionalizing contracts.”

Gwinn created the San Diego Family Justice Center before he left the City Attorney’s Office nine years ago.

Now it is part of the San Diego Police Department, which works with the Alliance and other nonprofit groups to provide victims of domestic violence everything from legal help to social services.

Among other things, Goldsmith said contracts the city signed with the alliance were illegal because they were never approved by his office, the City Council or the mayor. He said the city auditor should account for money donated to the San Diego center through the Alliance.

The agreements, signed in 2010 and 2011 by Gwinn and a police lieutenant, are now expired. They called for the alliance to be the fiscal agent for the San Diego Family Justice Center.

Under terms of the contracts, Gwinn’s charity kept 10 percent of donations and grants to the San Diego Family Justice Center to cover administrative costs for his alliance.

The deals also required the city to cease any activity that could jeopardize the alliance’s tax-exempt status.

Gwinn, who served as city attorney between 1996 and 2004, rejected Goldsmith’s legal opinion that the contracts were illegal because they were not approved by the city’s elected officials.

“Just because Jan Goldsmith says they are illegal doesn’t make them illegal,” Gwinn said.

According to Gwinn, who is paid $143,750 a year as the alliance president and travels the world to help set up similar centers, neither he and his organization ever profited from the contracts.

Gwinn said every dollar donated to the alliance on behalf of the city program was used for legal services and other help for battered women. He said he is worried that Goldsmith’s call for an audit will affect donations and the charity’s ability to serve victims.

“I am deeply concerned that victims of domestic violence are going to die because of the inability of the Family Justice Center to continue operating,” Gwinn said. “This is a life-and-death issue.”

According to its latest tax filing, the alliance raised more than $1.6 million in 2011. The alliance’s tax-exempt purpose is to establish a global network of family justice centers.

Gwinn told U-T Watchdog that his nonprofit raised just over $94,000 for the San Diego Family Justice Center between 2010 and 2012. He said it kept less than $2,700 in administrative fees.

The alliance’s 2011 audit notes the charity held $160,897 in temporarily restricted net assets for the San Diego center, although those donations are not detailed.

Other records Gwinn provided show the Alliance raised more than $286,000 for the San Diego center in 2011 alone. Most of that was spent on Alliance employees who worked at the center.

Gwinn said the alliance hired an accounting firm to conduct a special audit of his charity, and pledged to release the findings when finished.

“I have no doubt the audit will confirm that we have acted with integrity and that all the money we raised or held for the FJC was spent consistent with the accounting records that SDPD has already been provided,” Gwinn said.

Meanwhile, the San Diego city auditor is not convinced Gwinn has provided all of the paperwork his staff needs to complete the city’s review of how the alliance handled city revenue.

“They are giving the appearance of cooperating, but there are a lot more documents that we need,” said Luna, who declined to comment in more detail because the city audit is ongoing.

It is not clear how long the review might take. Luna said it depends on the level of cooperation he receives from Gwinn.